Brief Description:
At the Xavier Institute of Higher Learning, Archangel is on his mobile phone discussing and directing business. Iceman throws away his phone and gives him grief about doing business on his phone. Iceman then questions how Archangel can be healed only weeks after a recent battle. Archangel orders Iceman to see nurse Annie to check out his wounds from the same battle. Iceman obeys reluctantly. Warren is approached by Josette, an empathic mutant. She feels his loss over Psylocke and begins flirting with him. Disinterested, Archangel leaves. Iceman reluctantly agrees to let Annie examine the wound he got from Black Tom, but privately. While he walks away, Annie notices that Northstar is attracted to Bobby. Iceman shows Annie his wound: He's actually permanently mutating into ice. Back to the infirmary Annie suggests the Bobby and Northstar grab something for dinner. They both agree. Josette enters the infirmary and Iceman is all over her, ignoring the jealous Northstar. Iceman bails on Northstar to go with Josette for a walk. Outisde things heat up between them until Iceman is attacked by Josette's jealous husband Robert, a mutant himself. Robert has Iceman in his grip when Northstar arrives and splits Robert in half. Robert is then contained. Later in the infirmary Northstar tells Annie there's no chance for anything between him and Bobby, because he's straight. Annie understands too well. In a church in New York City, Nightcrawler prays to God and admits to being troubled by his faith.
Full Synopsis:
At the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning in Westchester, New York, Archangel is on his mobile phone discussing business with his company, Worthington Industries. Iceman walks up to him and inquires after Warren's missing cast. When Warren doesn't answer him, Bobby grabs his mobile phone, throws it into the nearby fountain and gives him grief about doing business on his phone, telling him "you can't phone it in" much to Warren's annoyance.
Iceman repeats his question: how can Archangel can be healed only weeks after their battle with Black Tom Cassidy? Warren replies that he doesn't know how, but Annie Ghazikhanian, the new nurse, has x-rayed him and he's completely healed. Maybe this is part of Warren actually developing an useful mutation for once, Iceman quips. What's next? Will he pop claws out of his forearms, develop a taste for beer and mousse his hair into pointy spikes? Not amused, Archangel asks Bobby why he has been avoiding his follow up-appointment with nurse Annie and orders him to let her to check out the wounds that he received when he was impaled on one of Black Tom's vines. Iceman snarls at Warren that he isn't automatically team leader, just because Nightcrawler wimps out on his responsibilities, so he'd better stop ordering him around. Angrily he stomps off.
Warren then notices Josette, a gorgeous, blue-skinned empathic mutant from the annihilated mutant nation of Genosha who has watched the argument. Still bristling over Bobby's immaturity, Warren introduces himself to her. She senses Warren's loss for his dead lover Psylocke aka Betsy Braddock. She begins flirting with him and tells him she knows about her and can ease his pain by suggesting that they having meaningless sex. Archangel claims he is needed elsewhere and quickly leaves.
Iceman stomps into the school's infirmary and asks Annie what the hell she thinks she's doing blabbing to others that he doesn't keep his appointments. Annie's checking up on Northstar who is still recovering from his injuries. Not in the least impressed by "Frost-boy", as she nick-named him derogatively, or his attitude, Annie insists on examining the chest wound Iceman got from Black Tom. Iceman snarls back, that he's not about to take off his shirt to give her a cheap thrill. Clearly used to bratty patients, Annie coolly informs him, that if she actually were interested in him, she'd be nicer. Now is he going to comply or should she involve Xavier?
The threat does its job. Iceman relents, but tells her, with an attitude that he wants to do it privately, quipping that he doesn't want Jean-Paul to get all hot and bothered. After he's gone ahead, Annie looks back at Northstar and asks him, where his acid-tongue was during this exchange? She realizes with a shock that he's attracted to Iceman. Half pleading, Jean-Paul asks her not to say anything. She promises Jean Paul that she will keep it a secret, although she quips that she'd have expected a handsome, powerful guy like Jean-Paul to show a little more taste.
At Saint Patrick's Cathedral in New York City, Nightcrawler prays for guidance. He admits to having terrible nightmares. He tells Jesus that, indirectly, he is the cause. His death was meant as a shining example of how humans should live in loving union with each other and Christ. Nevertheless, even the most faithful fail to uphold those standards. Kurt admits to his longing for the touch of a woman. But more importantly, another so-called holy war is brewing. Soldiers are taking up arms in the name of God. How can he allow war to be waged in his name-maybe even encourage it? Does accepting God in one's heart equal fighting and killing or is it the opposite? And how can one faithful live with the idea with perhaps one day sitting beside God in Paradise and as a result forever being apart from the loved ones who failed God's tests? He expects answers to these questions the next time they meet.
Back at Xavier's a very nervous Iceman shows Annie his wound after he's made her promise to keep quiet about this. His upper body is partially covered in ice. Bobby fears this is some kind of secondary mutation that was triggered by something Black Tom did to him. He's actually mutating into ice and he can't change back.
Later Iceman and Annie return to the infirmary. Bobby quips, when is Northstar actually going to get off his lazy butt and do some work? Annie uses the opportunity: she tells them that Northstar is actually well enough to get up for meals, so why don't the two go grab something for dinner? They both agree. Iceman cheerfully needles Jean-Paul about all the training and practice that hell have to undergo - you can't just join the X-Men after all. They are joined by Josette who quickly has Iceman's complete attention. When Josette tells Bobby she's new here, Northstar can't refrain from answering cattily "Really? You look rather used to me." Iceman bails on Northstar to go with Josette for a walk.
On the grounds of the Xavier Institute Iceman and Josette sit under a gazebo. Things are getting more and more steamy between the two of them, when suddenly Iceman is attacked by Josette's husband Robert, a mutant who appears to be made entirely out of mud or slime. He attacks Iceman out of his jealousy and love for Josette, his wife, who has clearly used her powers to entrance other men before.
Robert angrily vows that if she'll keep on doing this, he'll just keep on having to rip those other men apart. He brutally hits Iceman several times, even tosses him against a tree. When Iceman actually makes a feeble joke, Robert covers his face with his mud, intent on asphyxiating him, when Northstar arrives (all decked out in his new costume). He quickly tears Iceman out of Robert's grasp, taking part of Robert's "arm" with him. Anxiously he cleans Bobby's face from the mud, urging him to breathe. He is rewarded with a cough and a mock come-on from Bobby.
Jean-Paul furiously attacks Robert who doesn't even seem to feel Northstar's blows. Eventually Jean-Paul flies straight through him and splits him down middle vertically. Robert is in shock, but still alive and put into a containment chamber in the basement.
In the infirmary, Annie and Northstar are talking near the sleeping Iceman's bed. She asks about Iceman and himself. He says there's no chance of them getting together, because Bobby's straight and that's that. Maybe he just doesn't know yet, Annie suggests. Everyone knows in their hearts, Jean-Paul replies. No, some loves simply aren't meant to be. Annie confides she knows how it feels to love someone who is meant for someone else, while she glances at the comatose Havok.
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